BOY SCOUTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12755, 26 September 1919, Page 8

BOY SCOUTS.

(Contributed.) HEADQUARTERS NOTICES. The following competitions close this month (September 30]: King’s standard. Bull pups’ totem pole and the shooting Cup and badges competitions. The annual census must be taken this month. Scoutmasters must send forms X to their district secretaries not later than October 7. District secretaries send lorms Y to their provincial secretaries or to their commissioners not later than October 10. And commissioners must send forms Z to the chief commissioner not later than October 15. See rules 50, 51, 52 of 1919 regulations. It is hoped that every scoutmaster, district secretary and commissioner will attend to this matter in time to enable the chief commissioner to compile his returns for the Imperial Council. These returns must reach London by the first week in December. The following notes will interest all Stouts, specially those who hail from Bonnie Scotland:—“ The Rev M'Milian, chaplain to the forces, in an address to the Boy Scouts and the Girls of Dunfermline, claimed that tho fleur-de-lis badges of the Boy and the Girl Scouts were Scottish National emblems. Each of them had a religious significance. The fleur-de-lis was a very early symbol of the Holy Trinity, and tho trefoil (shamrock) was used by the great Scottish missionary, St Patrick, to illustrate the samo theme. The fleur-de-lis was an early Scottish , symbol, ©von earlier than the thistle. It was emblazoned on the royal banner of Scotland, and' while gome say that its position there is due to the ‘ Auid Alliance ’ with France it is certain that it appeared on the Scottish Royal Arms before it appeared on those of France.” This should add to the value of the Boys’ buttonhole badge and the firstclass bridge of both boys and girls. In New Zealand we have the officers’ badges surrounded by fern leaves, a happy combination of the emblems of both countries.

The chief commissions? has received a lengthy communication from Sir Cecil Moon, his personal representative on the Imperial Council in London, anent his interview with Sir Robert Baden-Powell with reference to various matters conceruinnr this Dominion. Sir Cecil writes, inter alia, “ He (Sir Robert) is firmly convinced that the movement in New Zealand is ably and successfully conducted by yon, and that anything he might do to weaken your authority would be a sad mistake. . .. Sir Robert is of opinion that it is a mistake to institute any more decorations than are absolutely necessary, as it is inclined to make boys medal and badge hunters. 'While on this subject the King’s standard cropped up, and he suggested that it would be well to make the test less one of badges and to give single troops a chance to compete. That is precisely what we do in this Dominion. In England and elsewhere on the contrary, a troop is defined as throe patrols—yet a company of 90 or 100 boys is still called a troop. With us three patrols or 24 boys make a troop. And if there be 96 boys in a company we call them 4 troops or a company, thus bringing our organisation into line with that of the Home Land. Sir Cecil says that Sir Robert relinquishes any objection to the Junior Scouts (Bull pup) scheme though he prefers the Wolf Cubs for England. Sir Robert does not like any military terms in connection with the movement, such as district commander, and would prefer, say, district commissioner, but it must be borne in mind that these terms were used by us in 1909, and approved in writing by Sir Robert himself. It is also a fact that in the English girl movement the leader is called a captain and her assistant a lieutenant, while in the Girl Peace Scout increment ours are called scoutmdstress and assistant scoutmistress. The duties of a district commander and those of a commissioner are so. different in New Zealand that to apply the term commissioner to both would cause confusion. Moreover, the term district commander carries with it no military significance in this country, not even so much as the term “ Scout.”

I have to thank Mr Olds, Scoutmaster of the East Belt Wesley troop, for ms interesting report of the work done during the past month. The quarterly competition for the troop’s sports cup was won by the pigeon patrol, who won first place in every Senior event except two. The prize, a bat presented by a parent, for the best junior competitor, »^5l WOll Junior Scout David Smith. Ihe general work of the troops, ” said Mr Olds, “is very satisfactory. Saturday afternoon parades are beginning again, and camp is already keenly looked forward to.” _ G- Woods, late Scoutmaster of Spreydon, has just returned from England, having gained his corporal’s stripes in the Expeditionary Forces, in England he took temporary charge of the Bamford B-.C. troop and on leaving received a small token of the boys esteem and a letter of thanks signed by all the boys and by the As-sistant-Scoutmaster- Mr Woods has lost no tj u me in getting into touch with his old boys of Spreydon, and as soon as he is free will take charge again. The Bov P. Carrington sends in a very interesting report of his efforts to interest his senior boys of the Rover patrols. His work is not on the lines , 6 ~ n Shsh Rover patrols, but I think that his scheme fills the bill in Aew Zealand better than that of Lolonel du Burge.

GIRL PEACE SCOUTS,

Mrs Cossgrove has received a letter trom Mrs Arundel, the organising secretary for Dunedin, in which she outw<?l‘k done by the Senior Girls of the Roslyn troop. For the needlewoman a badge the girls made a child’s complete outfit and many of these are so well finished that the examiner says they ought to be on exhibition. The “ a , t f na £ s a f e supplied by the matron of the Kantane Home, and the outfits, when completed, are returned to the home In accordance with the request of Mrs Cossgrove, an outfit made by a girl of thirteen years of age is being sent up, and will be exhibited in the window of Messrs Strange and Co., High Street next week Further reference next ° f tblS tr °° P Ixs Tnade in The St Michael’s Senior Girls «r a ve an impromptu concert recently at*the Government Receiving Home, and the whole troop gave an exhibition of marching at the Colosseum. The Senior Girls also gave an exhibition of Indian club exercise The Fairy Scouts du“ mg the winter were taught badge wora and some of the seniors were prepared for their first-class tests. P Sir Robert Baden-Powell, in conver nation with Sir Cecil Moon, suggests that the GuJ Peace Scouts sbonld gaffihatc with the Girl Guides before the arrival of the Prince of Wales. Sir Kobert is evidently not'aware that Gir! Guides the Girl Peace VcTul* of New Zealand and the Girl Scouts of America were affiliated in January, Colonel Wove!